Tum Hi Aana | A Short Story

Iraaday Phir Se Jaanay Ke Nahi Lana

It was the first thing he did after that hour and a half. Looking at the one person who had been witness to what had happened and wasn't occupied with Meerab, he gave his mother a hard look and walked out to his lounge, knowing she would follow. It had taken five minutes for his mother to relay what had happened, with Murtasim's mind stuttering at the mention of divorce and how Meerab had objected to being taken away, crying.

Murtasim had nodded and turned away, the tangled web in his mind knotting further but his mother had grabbed onto his arm. Dealing with anyone other than Meerab had been the last thing he'd wanted then, but he'd stood there, looking away as she'd apologised for the promise she had taken from and how she had misjudged Meerab.

He had been silent, but she'd continued, saying she didn't want him to hold this against her; the fact that she had contributed in breaking his marriage. She had revealed that Mariyam had already put forth an ultimatum a few days, that if Meerab wasn't brought back, she would refuse to go ahead with the ruksati and also tell Naurez the truth. She'd pleaded with him that she had had doubts about Meerab's role in it all after Mariyam had confessed, but she had been too hurt, too shocked by the events to understand or do anything.

How convinient.

The pharse had entered Murtasim's mind uninvitingly but it had carried a bittersweet effect, because had all the drama of the past few hours not happened, who knew if his mother would 'understand or do anything' when it came to Meerab. Why would she when she had asked him many a time to cut Meerab loose?

Everything had started feeling distasteful, like nothing mattered anymore. He had just needed to be with his wife, but Waqas and Anila hadn't left her side and more truthfully, Murtasim had been scared. He'd been terrified of Meerab waking up, seeing him close to her and it upsetting her again or worsening her health. The thought had sent panic shooting through him and he couldn't have taken that risk, not when she was so fragile.

So he'd left.

The house had been swathed in colourful decorations for his sister's ruksati, his mother and Haya going back into the lounge to ensure everything was being done accordingly, and Murtasim had just left. Not that he had shirked from his responsibilities; never. It was actually his curse, he was beginning to realise. But he'd ensured everything would be set up exactly as needed. All the arrangements had been done for Mariyam's big event; but he just hadn't been able to stay in that house.

The events after waking up had also been a blur for Meerab, who had awoken to the worried faces of her parents. After realising what had happened, she had realised where she was. The navy blue walls, the navy silk and suede mustard on the bed around her, the rich, wood furniture; it felt like home. It had felt so different being there after what had seemed like an eternity, and the sunlight filtering in through the curtains gave a distinctly different effect to when she had been in here last. The night when everything had changed.

Her Mama and Baba had been beside themselves with worry and also fervent in their pleas to depart for Karachi.

Where was he?

Her eyes combed the room and its entrance again and again, only to find Maa Begum enter a few minutes after she'd awoken. Meerab had never seen her haughty mother in law as hesitent as she had then, when she'd stood at the foot of her bed and looked at her with the eyes of a thief; wavering, flitting and guilty. She had come to invite them all for Mariyam's ruksati, which her parents had declined. Meerab had lain still in bed, her entire being exhausted from the entire ordeal and her sole focus on a man who had been glaringly absent since she'd woken up.

"Murtasim kahan hai?" she had asked, her voice tired, carrying just a note of helpless anger.

Maa Begam hadnt known. He had been out apparently, and from Maa Begum's words it seemed like no one knew where he was these days.